Four fire engines rushed to the scene of an out of control bonfire.

The crews toiled for nearly three hours to snuff it out.

The large blaze was at the Bliby Business Centre in Chequer Tree Farm Road, Mersham.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Fire control received a number of calls reporting a large black plume of smoke.

“Four fire engines were sent to the incident.”

Crews were called out at 2.18pm today and were at the scene until 5pm.

They wore breathing apparatus and used hose reel jets and compressed air foam to fight the flames.

There were no reported injuries.

Local historian Steve Salter was one of many who had seen the black smoke in the distance.

He said: “I couldn’t exactly say where it was coming from but it seemed near the Kingsnorth and Bliby area.

“I could smell burning rubber or plastic and you could see the smoke more than a mile away at Eureka Leisure Park.”